Many medications and prescription drugs are taken orally or via injection; as a result, chemicals are necessarily distributed throughout the whole body of humans and other mammals, potentially causing various harmful side effects. Some of the side effects associated with prescription drugs and other over-the-counter medications that are distributed throughout the whole body, include, but are not limited to, stomach upset, liver toxicity, irritability, gastric problems, confusion, high or low blood pressure, nervousness, dizziness, crying, fainting, restlessness, irregular heart rate, cataracts, blurred vision, shortness of breath, loss of bowel control, seizures and tremors, mental depression, aggression and even premature death of the mammal.
The harmful side effects create a long-felt and unfilled need to deliver therapeutic medication and natural ingredients only to the affected area of the body so that mammals do not suffer the terrible side-effects of the medication.
Various patents provide the state of the art in topical skin formulations that include chemical and natural ingredients. A representative example of patents and patent publications is provided below.
US Patent Publication 2010/0173007 to DiLeva teaches a topical composition for treating skin diseases which include rashes, blisters, acne, fungal infections, bacterial infections, bums, insect bites, microbial infections, sunburn, scabies, scrapes, cuts and combinations thereof.
US Patent Publication 2010/0076035 to Carter discloses a topical formulation for delivery of bioactive substances to skin, fingernails, toenails, ocular tissue, vagina, rectum (as a suppository), and other tissue surfaces containing an epithelial cell layer, formulation includes a vasoactive agent, an osmolyte, and an active ingredient including penetration enhancers.
US Patent Publication 2009/0281197 to Kinsinger et al. discloses a skin penetrating gel combined with acetic acid (another name for vinegar) and thymol for treating the toe or finger nail.
US Patent Publication 2009/0258098 to Rolling et al. discloses an antifungal composition that includes various fungistatic and fungicidal essential oil components, or combinations thereof. The penetrating carrier system may include various ingredients, including a penetration enhancer, such as isopropyl myristate.
US Patent Publication 2009/0162304 to DiLeva claims a topical composition treating skin diseases; may include vitamins and medicaments.
US Patent Publication 2008/0286390 to Tanyi discloses a skin care composition contains plurality of essential fatty acids derived from natural oils, which include both botanicals and oils derived from animal sources for surface skin care.
US Patent Publication 2008/0193393 to Dayan teaches controlled release and targeted delivery of topically applied compounds, such as fragrances, pigments, skin treatment agents, topical drugs, and similar topically applied compounds to the surface of the skin.
US Patent Publication 2005/0048130 to Marchioni teaches colloidal silver is an effective natural antibiotic. US Patent Publication 2004/0202726 to DeShay discloses a topical composition useful for reducing blood pressure having a liquid carrier containing, water, potassium chloride, and a penetrant enhancer for enhancing the penetration of the potassium chloride into the skin; uses olive oil and aloe vera.
US Patent Publication 2004/0106163 to Workman et al. discloses delivery of SMMR's (small molecule metabolite reporters) that indicate rate of glycolysis within the living cell loci; materials listed aid the process of skin penetration for SMMRs and create a diffusion rate enhancing solvent system for transdermal delivery: acetic acid or soybean oil, hazelnut oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, olive oil, calendula oil, apricot kernel oil, grapeseed oil, wheat germ oil, and emu oil. US Patent Publication 2003/0039668 to Gulla teaches combination of lecithin, or the phosphatides within lecithin, or a saponoside; combined with one or more surfactants, preferably one or more essential oils, one or more gel formers, and water, all in controlled concentration, can be combined to form a high water content emulsion that is capable of rapid penetration into the epidermis.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,303,768 to Yoo discloses topically applied drugs including bile salts, glucose, guar gum or pectin.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,921,529 to Maley teaches vinegar as a skin penetrant for feet fungus.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,579,543 to McClung discloses a topical application may comprise aloe vera, oils, such as, omega-3 and omega-6, linoleic; licorice as an anti-inflammatory.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,544,534 to Malmgren discloses a skin conditioner and soap made of sea salt, Epsom salt, almond oil, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, aloe vera gel, castor oil, vitamin E, vegetable glycerin.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,442 to Dado discloses the topical use of a substance mixture comprising honey and olive oil.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,440,437 to Krzysik discloses an oil-in-water wipe that includes aloe vera or honey or glucose humectants; oils and fats.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,103,272 to Keeney discloses a method that includes applying a topical solution containing colloidal silver to the scalp, may include distilled water, sea salt, aloe vera, vitamins, iodine, ginseng, and/or vinegar; may include vitamins E, A, and can convert the topical solution to be orally administered.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,662 to Bissett teaches: xanthan gum and agar-agar as natural thickening agents; may use vinegar, may include lecithin, may use licorice for a different purpose as a soothing agent, may include flavoring agents, for example, peppermint oil.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,884 to Bissett cited to show that aloe vera is a natural anti-inflammatory agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,641 to Juhos teaches cholesterol as art-recognized natural emulsifier (surfactant).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,557 to Herstein teaches acetic acid is able to penetrate into skin dermis and is useful in acne compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,684 to Van derVeken et al. teach a non-toxic drug composition with substituted acetic acid as skin penetration promoter.
Thus, the prior art suggests that many chemical and natural compounds have at some time been used in topical skin compositions as a medicament. What is absent in the prior art is the formulation of a universal, i.e., capable of delivering water soluble and fat soluble active substances, all-natural, skin penetrating carrier composition that delivers active therapeutic substances to the dermal layer of the skin in the area of the body requiring treatment. The present invention fulfills this need.